If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

An Open Letter to GM - Please Fix this!

Ok I did a dumb thing today on the freeway, I am used to switching to ICE when I get up on the freeway and switching back to Electric when getting off. So I am getting up onto the freeway in "Sport" mode and so used to switching to ICE that I don't look down at the mode button. (Bad mistake) I don't know why but this time my hand was too low and instead of pressing the Drive mode button four times in succession to switch to ICE, I inadvertently press the Power button four times. By the way the ICE actually came on at that point. The front LCD screen goes nuts and the air conditioning goes off and heat at the highest temperature starts pouring out of the vents. The car starts to lurch forward, like my foot is on the gas peddle slammed to the floor. I put my foot on the brake but when I lift it off the car rushes forward again. Again, my foot IS NOT on the gas peddle! The ICE was revving at it highest point but I finally was able to get the car to the side of the road by slamming my foot on the brake and keep it there till I came to a stop. Then while keeping my foot on the brake, press the Start button again several times until the car finally resets and officially turns off.

I was really lucky that the freeway was light at this time and there was no other car close to me or I definitely would have smashed into it. My car is a MY2013. If the car is moving, you should just get a message saying that you can not do this while the car is moving or at least in an emergency, have the car actually turn off.

Normally what we've read is people hitting the power button twice (or more) quickly and having the car shut down on them, like it is programmed to do (double hit on the power within 5 seconds is an emergency stop.)

I haven't read about someone having a runaway acceleration in a Volt before under any circumstance.

You're sure it wasn't just the sudden end of regeneration from L that feels like a lurch forward? (like happens when a wheel slips and it posts the "low traction" message.)

That is serious. Did you try putting your car into neutral? That would hopefully prevent further acceleration, allowing you to either try one more power down/power on cycle or pull off to the side of the road.

I did this once, I actually thought I was pushing the "Mode" button while just getting on the freeway, but instead was pushing the "Power Button", 4 times, car started beeping at me and I started losing power. Luckily I was able to pull over to the right before I was on the main freeway. I could have caused a huge accident but luckily I was far enough ahead of the next car. I have been more cautious when changing the mode now, don't want to be on the evening news for advertising in a bad way for the Volt. Boy did I feel really dumb. Can you see it, "Volt loses charge, causes major accident on freeway!"

By the way, I tried putting it into "N", you have to be in "P" to start again. So coasting before the freeway and slapping it into neutral did not start my Volt up again. Parked and changed gears properly and it started fine, no issues after that

Last edited by gilzapanta; 05-28-2013 at 07:14 PM.
Reason: left something out

I agree that the two buttons are dangerously close to each other. GM should address this ASSP, it wouldn't help 2011, 2012, 2013 and I doubt 2014 Volts, but maybe they could come up with a software fix to make it impossible to kill power inadvertently.

I fear and hope no one gets injured or killed by this but the silence from GM is disturbing.

To the OP, posting here is a start, but I'd write a letter to GM and send it certified.

I just think the power button should never be near anything else. It should be off the main dash and under the instrument cluster. Or better yet, put it to the left of the steering wheel. Not only is it accessible to anyone (even a little kid messing around) but it is right next to other buttons that are used frequently. I have feared that I will inadvertently shut the car down by mistake on the freeway. That would create quite an issue, to say the least.

Advertisement

I agree that the two buttons are dangerously close to wash other. GM should address this ASSP, it wouldn't help 2011, 2012, 2013 and I doubt 2014 Volts, but maybe they could come up with a software fix to make it impossible to kill power inadvertently.

The problem is that any fix that makes it impossible to kill inadvertently would make it impossible for a panicked driver who hasn't read the owner's manual recently to kill a misbehaving car, if that becomes necessary.

The Prius and some others only die if you press and hold the power button for several seconds - and the drivers didn't figure that out as we saw graphically and tragically a couple years ago. GM did studies on how panicked drivers react, and the double press shutdown came out of that.

I don't think changing the shutdown makes sense. Changing the shape, character, nature, and/or location of the mode button might be a solution. If they're making changes, I'd also like to decouple Sport from the other three, so that you can be in Sport and Mountain or Hold simultaneously. If I read correctly, I think the Energi twins use L for the sporty throttle as well as the increased braking regeneration...